The Final Farewell
by Verunme
Summary: The morning after the death of his oldest and closest friend, Hiccup has to say goodbye one last time... or maybe not. Warning : Character death.
1. A Long, Happy Life With Us

Disclaimer : I do not own anything HTTYD-related.

So here it is, my first published non-Zelda fanfiction! Its kinda sad, and was born out of an argument with a guy on Youtube over Toothless returning without babies in GotNF.

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- Hiccup?

The young blacksmith didn't even look like he noticed her, lost in his brooding thoughts, as he stared into the horizon, away from her.

- Hiccup?

This time Astrid had spoken louder, hoping to get his attention. He was shivering, his breath ragged and unsteady and his hands clenched into fists. He whispered, his voice quaking and nearly breaking :

- He's gone.

- I know.

She held back the tears that were close to flood her eyes as she saw his shivering become a shaking, his ragged breathing turning into low, soft sobs.

She slowly, carefully, walked up to him, crossing the few meters of sand separating them. Wrapping her arms gently around his waist, trying not to startle him, she rested her chin on his shoulder. The metal leg, an everlasting reminder of his many ordeals, squeaked under the added weight. Through the tears, he let out three words :

- Why so soon?

- He lived a long, happy life with us, and you know it.

- It should have been longer.

Sighing sadly, the blonde tightened her hold. She had dreaded this event, everyone had. Ever since Hookfang, the eldest of Berk's heroes' dragons, had died of old age, she knew this day would come. Meatlug had been next, the winter two years before. Then Stormfly, in the summer. She cried that day, out of pain for the loss of her dragon, but also because she knew what was yet to come. Hiccup may not have been able, or wanted, to see it, but she had already noticed how Toothless couldn't move like he used too, how flights with him were shorter, and much less eventful. Deep down her heart, she knew at that time he was next in line.

The day before the morning she was now painfully living through, the viking warrior had woken early, for sleep evaded her attempts to rest properly. So it was her, of all people, who found him curled up in the living room, like if he was asleep. Yet at the moment her eyes fell upon the black scales, she knew it was something that was to last forever. She had frozen on the spot, rooted by the pain she felt. Astrid never expected to get as close to Toothless as Hiccup was, it was simply impossible, but it hadn't stopped her from growing very, very fond of the Night Fury.

The silence that ensued her discovery was excruciating, as she prepared for her lover's reaction.

She had expected the tears. But not the _scream_. Everyone in Berk heard it. And they all knew what it meant. No word could describe what feelings it carried. Heart-wrenching, soul-splitting.

She had to catch him as he fell, his knees failing to keep him standing. They had stayed on the ground, her firm arms around him as he cried and screamed. She had taken without flinching his tears, his kicks, and punches, his anger and his sadness at the cruelty of the world. She had listened in silence as his screams and shouts turned into desperate pleas, even though her own tears had started soaking Hiccup's hair.

- He did not even have children.

Snapping out of her memories, the woman turned her attention to the man she held close. He was right, they had never seen another Night Fury. It hadn't seemed to bother the dragon in any way, so she didn't really mind at the time, but she was now wondering if he had been the last of his kind. But it wouldn't keep her from trying to make Hiccup feel, even if it would be only a slight improvement, better.

- Hiccup, he may not have had any biological children, but do you realize how many dragons and Vikings live today because of you and him? His legacy lives on in every egg a dragon that could have died in a raid has laid, or in every Viking baby whose parent would have been lost to the War. Everything, may it be births, weddings, parties, or even the simplest of laughter that happened during the last thirty-five years is a result of his life.

They stayed like that for a few minutes, simply feeling the breeze on their faces and the rising sun's heat on their bodies. Hiccup broke the silence first :

- I think its time isn't it?

- Yeah...

Astrid gave him one last smile before she turned around and left.

- Time for the final goodbye...

The blacksmith walked up the small pier on the beach, to the boat softly drifting among the waves. On it were the remains of Hiccup's first and best friend. The funeral had happened on the night of his departure, but the chief had requested to be alone for the final part. Their time together had started this way, and so it was to end. He grabbed the torch still burning on the front of the boat.

- Farewell, Toothless, I'll never forget...

Dropping the torch on the stack of hay, the man kicked the boat off, sending it into open seas.

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Finally over! Gosh, those last sentences took forever to write, I emptied a full box of tissues...

As ever, Read and Review, 'cuz reviews are nice!


	2. Ashes of Tomorrow

Hiccup watched the small embarcation burn, carrying the body of his old friend into the frozen waters, towards Freezing-to-Death. He knew that the body, being nonflammable, would merely be dropped into the waves, but he hoped Toothless, wherever he may be, would understand the Viking burial he had received, and the respect it represented. He hoped it would convey the immense love the man had felt, and was still feeling, for the dragon.

Wiping the silent tears that flowed down his cheeks, he turned around and left the beach.

Unbeknownst to him, the mortal vessel of his friend actually burned, leaving behind a black, compact mass that fell into the waves. There would begin its long journey home, where it would follow currents to and from Berk, only to end back where it left.

*** Seven Years Later ***

Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Fifth casually strolled down the sandy beach, enjoying one of Berk's rare warm days (that being slightly over the freezing point). From the height of his eleven years, he already looked strikingly similar to his grandfather, the famous Hiccup the Dragon Trainer. Freckles, a small, frail build, brown hair, green eyes, a knack for creating things and an utter lack of talent in everything related to battling with swords, axes or any other kind of weapon. Only one major difference separated him from his older counterpart. He despised dragons. Ever since he was old enough to understand what they were, he hated them. And they hated him too. His grandparents, parents and siblings were at a loss, for all members of their family had been accomplished dragon trainers for three consecutive generations.

He often came to this beach to escape their endless attempts to have him befriend one of their beloved dragons. They annoyed him to no end, that without even considering the other kids, who never missed a chance to make him see how different he was from them.

Sitting down in the sand, he opened a small box containing what would be his dinner. As he grabbed the first sandwich of a pair, he failed to notice the small black form that slithered along the edge of his sight like a shadow. He took his first bite as it reached the edge of the box, peeking inside. It could have taken food and left easily, had the teenager not been thirsty, and thus had not attempted to grab his bottle of water. His hand hit something rugged, warm and hard, much to his surprise. Snapping to attention, he stared at the creature of the color of the night. It stared back with small, green orbs. The size of a Terrible Terror, the thing was undoubted one of the creatures he should be disgusted of. And yet, as he looked at it in the eyes, Hiccup felt not hatred, no disgust. The sad eyes that were laid upon him made him think of his own sadness. In the small dragon at his feet, the boy saw himself.

Over the course of the following weeks, he made daily visits to the small dragon, feeding him as best he could, not wanting to arise the elders' attention. He didn't want them to know yet. The dragon grew and grew, developping large, black wings, and strong but lithe body built for speed and an amazing intellect.

Unbeknownst to him, Hiccup was raising the first Night Fury to follow his grandfather's own friend. It is only several months later that he dared bring the creature home, as he finally started trusting dragons in general. He had expected to be told by his grandfather, in whose house he was living while his parents were visiting another village, that it was wrong to hide this dragon, that he should have spoken of it sooner. He had not expected the tears of joy, and the stunned look on his grandmother Astrid face.

The eldest of the Hiccups had taken the small Fury in his arms, caressing it softly, even though the effort of holding such a weight at his age and with his build was difficult. The younger of the two felt like it was a strange meeting, not far from two old friend reuniting after having missed each other for so long. Even the strong woman with them, that he had never seen cry in all of his life, and let some tears slip as she explained to him the miracle his finding represented.

Fishlegs would of course have many questions for him afterwards, for even in his old age he kept updating the Dragon Book as often as possible, making sure it stayed complete and accurate. It was no long before he made a theory. There would always be one Night Fury, for the departure of one, meant the coming of the next.


End file.
